Buzz Ball: Driver's license legislation good idea

Monday

Apr 28, 2008 at 12:01 AMApr 28, 2008 at 5:42 PM

Every once in awhile, a bill that is being debated in Jefferson City catches my eye. One of those bills was given House approval last week. It is legislation that would create an extra incentive for students to attend classes and get good grades. That incentive would be a driver’s license.

Buzz Ball

Every once in awhile, a bill that is being debated in Jefferson City catches my eye.

One of those bills was given House approval last week. It is legislation that would create an extra incentive for students to attend classes and get good grades. That incentive would be a driver’s license.

According to the bill introduced by Rep. Rodney Hubbard, teenagers who don’t do well in school would not be allowed to get a driver’s license.

What a great incentive to keep kids in school and lower the dropout rate.

The requirements would apply to students at public schools who are under 18 and don’t meet minimum attendance and academic requirements. Schools would be required to give the Department of Revenue a list of students who don’t meet the requirements.

I don’t know of very many kids who don’t count the days until their 16th birthday so they can get that treasured driver’s license. I know that when I went to school, if you didn’t have a driver’s license on your birthday, you just were not cool.

Opponents of the bill argue that school administrators would be drowned with paperwork while students would continue to drive with or without licenses.

I agree that our administrators and teachers are swamped with paperwork. It seems that there is more time on paper work than on actual teaching, and that is a shame.

But in this case, I believe the paperwork would be very minor.

We live in an age where a high school education is imperative to be successful in life. A college degree is preferred, but if a youngster doesn’t have a high school diploma, his chances of a successful life are pretty slim.

That is while I support this bill using the driver’s license as an incentive. I think we should do all we can to persuade our students to stay in school and get that degree. Statistics show that the longer kids stay in school, the less likely they will be tempted by drugs and alcohol.

I urge the House to give final passage to this bill and send it to the Senate, where I hope it will receive swift approval.

Carthage Press

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